Unauthorised Absences: Should parents really be fined?

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Unauthorised absences and school holiday fines. It’s a subject that will continue to fuel heated debate, particularly amongst education professionals and parents. Even council chiefs have admitted that fines for parents who take their children out of school for a holiday should be abolished. The Local Government Association has called for “common sense” to prevail and that new rules – which state that headteachers can only give permission for children to skip school under ‘exceptional circumstances’ – doesn’t allow for the “complexities of family life”.

Do school holiday fines actually work?

Meanwhile, the leader of the Headteachers Union, Russell Hobby, insists that cut-price holidays shouldn’t be an exception; that unauthorised absences from school damage children’s education – as when you put it into context, a couple of weeks off a year from school, can add up over your child’s overall attendance during their school life – about two-thirds of an entire academic school year.

Under the current system, local authorities have been fining parents for unauthorised absences during term time at a cost of £60 per child, which can rise to £120 if it’s not paid within 21 days. And for those who fail to cough up, they could face a further £2,500 or even a jail sentence of up to three months.

Unauthorised Absences still happen though…

Does this deter parents who flout the rules? Of course not. And we all know why. The vast majority of parents work hard to pay the mortgage, rent, household bills and, since the cost of living has risen sharply over the last few years, is it any wonder they want to treat themselves and their families to a well-earned holiday? I mean surely these families deserve to have something to look forward to.

And when prices of the same holidays literally double – according to Santander, holidays are 48% more expensive in August than they are in September – you can see why parents would rather be penalised than paying over the odds for a week in the sun.

Supply and demand

But should the issues up for argument really be about holiday fines – or even the fact that parents feel they have no choice but to flout the law? Shouldn’t the government, parents and education authorities be lobbying against the travel companies who are being allowed to get away with inflating these prices and profiteering? Airlines and travel providers claim it’s a case of supply and demand – however, there are many who would disagree.

Earlier this year, around 170,000 people signed an e-petition calling on the government to cap price rises during the school holidays. It was the fifth most signed e-petition since they were first set up. But even though this was the case and it raised awareness of the issues – sparked several suggestions including staggering school holidays, and for airport taxes to be suspended during busier periods – nothing has yet to be done, with even the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills stating: “It’s for businesses to decide the market worth of their products”.

School fines should be abolished…

Parents who, like me, believe that travelling is an education in itself will then continue to struggle to decide what is best for their children. Life experiences away from books and the classroom can have a positive effect on a child’s upbringing. I truly believe this. However, parents shouldn’t have to be put in this position in the first place, especially when the evidence does suggest that for particularly young children, missing school is vital for their future attainment.

It’s uncertain if anything will change. Quite frankly, what holiday company is going to back down and decide to cut prices? None of them, of course not, otherwise business wouldn’t be called a business. And even if, and that’s a big IF, legislation were to be enforced, it’s likely it would hit all holidaymakers in the long run as there might be fewer deals on offer overall, and throughout the rest of the year.

What do you think about unauthorised absences and term time fines? Have you taken your children out of school just to go on holiday?

51 Responses

I think it is up to the parents to be responsible and not the schools place to enforce attendance. the fines feel like a bank handed way to raise school funds. Here in cornwall the schools choose not to enforce the fines. So many like us are in tourism and can’t get away in the school holidays that exceptions are made. Having said this I am now reluctant to take mine out as they are into GCSE’s and A levels but up until secondary school we absolutely did and I have no fear that this in any way damaged their education. Furthermore for those coming to Coombe Mill our holidays are educational and we have a whole teacher approved worksheet section on the website to support learning on holiday.

It’s definitely up to the parents to decide what is best for their own children. I totally agree that the fines are way out of context. You can’t put a fit-all solution to this. Every pupil, every situation is different and parents shouldn’t be penalised for wanting to open their children’s minds and show them the world

I believe it should be a dialogue between the parents and the school. You can’t really blame holiday companies – they’re running a business and it’s their job to make money. And if I was a teacher I think it would be difficult to have half a class out on holiday during term time so I can see both sides. That said, holidays can be a truly education experience as Fiona points out above (Coombe Mill is a GREAT example of that) and there are lots of opportunities to bring the classroom with you – writing a holiday diary, collecting keepsakes, learning about the history of your holiday location, learning a new language, counting holiday money, shells etc.

Oh my this is such a harsh measure! I would never think that this would happen one day in a country… I totally agree with you that the parents want to afford a holiday, and of course the best prices are on low season, which isnt during school vacation! Maybe they should handle it in a different way… for example, here in Germany the school holidays are distributed throughout the year (and also according to the state), there is 1 week vacation in October, 2 in December/January, 1 during the Carnival (Feb/Mar), another one during Eastern, 2 weeks in June, and 6 weeks in July/September. Amazing isnt it? I love this in Germany, it should serve as an idea for other countries, makes things easier and cheaper for the families 😀

Exactly! I can’t believe that other countries in Europe have such a different approach. For such a ‘forward’ thinking counntry, the UK can be so backwards in its thinking. I think that the solution is to stagger school holidays and I think some schools are starting to trial it.

I think that holiday’s should only be booked during term-time after discussion with the head-teacher. I’m guilty of taking my daughters out of school for a week or two, but we never booked a holiday while they were studying for GCSEs and A-levels – I’d have been worried they were missing out on lessons.

Yes, I agree that headteachers need to access each individual case. I mean, if a attendance is poor and the child is doing badly at school, of course, it wouldn’t make sense for them to miss anymore school than necessary. However, if a child is doing well, and has a good record, surely a week isn’t going to scar them for life? I do agree that during important exams probably wouldn’t be the best time to hot foot it abroad.

Despite the fines taking a holiday in term time it is an option I would consider if the overall savings were sufficient. Holidays are valuable learning experiences for children and we are not in the position to take one every year. I think especially towards the end of summer term the children don’t actually do much work, it’s all play days and fun days so they wouldn’t be missing out on much in comparison to the experiences they could get on a family holiday.

I do think that this is a hard one to ‘solve’ as such but handing the responsibility back over to the head teacher is a much kinder way to go. We’ve taken ours out once or twice for the odd day and I really don’t think we are the people that should be getting fined. Perhaps there needs to be stronger guidelines that we are all aware of e.g. if your children are constantly off sick or more than one holiday has already been taken in a year. Tough one though and very divisive!

It is one that gets everyone riled… but mostly against the fines. I remember from school days and speaking to friends who are teachers now, that the last week of term is filled up with fun stuff, that not much work actually gets done anyway…

A subject I could discuss all day. We were given a press trip back in May. The school wouldn’t give Grace the Friday of Bank Holiday weekend off, so we sent Grace to school and then left straight after she finished for the day. We did not want to set a bad example with her lying. What I object to is the fact that they fine us if we take our kids out but it is OK for THEM to strike and expect us to take days off work! I also wonder if the fine + the cost of the holiday is still cheaper than the school holiday time?! Thank you for linking to PoCoLo 🙂 x

I definitely think the cost of the fine and the cheaper holiday price would still be cheaper overall… I agree that you shouldn’t lie, but I think parents who’s children are doing well and have good attendance shouldn’t be penalised. We could go on and on! 🙂

Oh gosh I could sit here and ramble on and on about this topic all day. I am an expat and whilst my kids aren’t in school yet I am so nervous this issue not being resolved. If we can only see my family and my hubby family (whom live in ireland) so we have no family in the uk during school holidays we can’t afford it if the prices are double. So we would be force to be those that take their kids out pay the fine just to see any family at all. I think you are right they should be challenging the travel companies to cap holiday prices it’s extortion! Ok off my soap box. but I agree. Thanks for linking up to Share with me #sharewithme

Ooo Jenny, I could spend hours on my soap box on this subject. It’s one that gets everyone going! I think pretty much everyone agrees though that it should be down to the parents to know what’s best for their children. A few days here and there will not damage their education. Travel is educational too!

I can see why taking time off during term time can be to the detriment of children but it is a system I very much grew up within. My Dad was a captain in the merchant navy and also lived abroad from when I was 8 years old. He would work anything from 6 weeks to 3 months at sea and then go back to his house in Spain, my brother and I would fly out to stay with him whether it was during term or not. We would literally take a note into school and fly out the next day. I don’t recall it was ever considered a problem and we continued in this way all through GCSE’s and A Levels (which we both passed and went onto University!). I should say that we always did take work with us – whether or not we did it I really can’t recall! Fast forward a few years and I am now a mother myself with both my parents living abroad. It becomes very expensive very quickly to stick to term times. So far we have only taken my daughter out of school once, just before the fine system came in. I think we will take her out next year though as our business also makes it difficult to go during ‘peak’ periods anyway. It’s family life and it’s important to be with the people you love, as my parents get older it will probably happen more often. Yes I would try to make any trips educational and if I thought either of my children were struggling academically I wouldn’t do it but as all is well at the moment the decision should be ours. Great post! Xx

It’s brilliant that you can say first hand how missing schoold growing up didn’t affect your education in any way. But as you also pointed out, as you went away for a while, you had to take work with you, which is what all concerned parents would do. It should be down to the parents to know what is best for their children at the end of the day and as long as they are doing well, the head teacher shouldn’t impose the fines x

Although my son isn’t in school yet I know that if I want to take him out of school for a holiday it’ll be because I think it’s best and he’ll cope fine. I don’t need someone fining me and telling me how to raise my child. #sharewithme

I think common sense needs to be applied here, and it does make my blood boil that schools can decide to fine parents when they can strike etc whenever they want. F doesn’t start school until next September, but I won’t hesitate to take him out for a trip, providing he’s settled in okay and isn’t struggling to keep up work-wise. I wouldn’t do it at GCSE or A Level though. I think people are cottoning on that travel and other experiences can do just as much for children as being in the classroom. If you’re a hands-on parents, I doubt your children are going to suffer from missing school for a week or two a year! However, I do see that from a teacher’s point of view, if everyone opted out of school for a couple of weeks, then it would be a nightmare trying to keep up with who has missed what/group work/ projects – it’s definitely an interesting topic for discussion! #sharewithme

I totally agree Becky. You can’t fit one solution to all, it just doesn’t work like that. And also more emphasis should be on the parents to decide what is best. If I thought my son was struggling with his work and not doing well, then I would know taking him off to Disney World for 2 weeks probably wouldn’t be the best idea! I do believe each individual should be able to have an adult discussion with the head teacher first.

Arghhhh the fine thing is such a joke, it really makes me cross!! It needs to go! I was taken out of school a few times to go on holiday as a kid and I definitely don’t think I missed anything…..let’s be honest the last week in school before a holiday is usually a bit of a joke anyway, especially when your little!! It’s sick that travel companies are allowed to so blatantly rip families off by bumping up prices so much in school holidays! If my husband wasn’t a teacher I wouldn’t hesitate to take Arthur out of school for a trip now and again! However I don’t think that I can just take the Mr. Out as well haha!! Great post!!! Xx

As a teacher, I personally don’t take my kids out of school term time but it’s mainly due to the fact that I know a lot can be missed in just one week. And not just academically, as often social groups move on quickly too. BUT that said, if I felt that the holiday would be beneficial to the child I would certainly put that opinion across, and if it was just one or two days being missed then I wouldn’t think twice, particularly at the end of a term. I do think that finiing parents is wrong, but I know that there are many families who take extended holidays that should probably not. Its a tricky one as schools have attendance targets and sadly that counts for a lot with Ofsted etc. I think there needs to be a change with the travel companies finally making a move to becoming child friendly- until that happens it will always be an issue xx

I think it’s great to get a teacher’s perspective on the subject. People forget that teachers are under huge pressure to meet targets, so if every pupil were to disappear at the end of term for a holiday it would be a disaster! But, yes, things need to be done for travel companies to offer fairer deals xx

I recently wrote about this on my blog. I narrowly escaped a fine for my 2kids as they had 5 days off to go to Center Parcs. Cost me £429. The following week for half term was £1100 so what was I to do? I found out what they were to be studying that week in school and I made a bit of time before they went back to brief them so they wouldn’t be behind. I think this is being a responsible parent. I think fines should be for parents who are repeating late or absent. I could of been fined £240 as its per child and per parent. Why not just the one fine for a couple?! I think it’s totally bizzare and parents are having all others taken away from them.

It’s unbelievable. The whole system just sucks – and at the end of the day you’re right. You are a responsible parent who would never want to jepordise their education – so to be penalised for wanting to have family time, to get away and have a break is nonsense. I didn’t realise you could be fined per parent. The more I hear, the more angry I get! I hope you’re let off. Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment. It’s a subject that makes a lot of us angry!

The whole system drives me mad. It’s obvious it’s not working – the number is of fines proves parents aren’t sticking to the rules. Why anyone thinks one such stringent rule will fit everyone, I’m not sure – evidently it fits no-one and it’s not even applied consistently across the UK. The travel industry uses peak season to subsidise the rest of the year so that’s not about to change. Surely headteachers will know individual circumstances best and are better able to decide.

I agree the travel companies will never change. It should be up to the head teachers to decide on individual cases. It’s not like every pupil is going to take the same time off at the same time every year! Just ridiculous and makes me hopping mad!

i think it’s up to the parents to decide what is the best for their own children, i agree with you on that. But I think that parents who take their children out of school for not valid reasons should think twice. It’s ok for very long holiday, but about short weekends ? If they miss every Friday, of course it’s a problem. I think it’s common sense. Once or twice a year won’t change their life or education.. As you nicely said, travelling is part of the education 🙂

No, they shouldn’t be fined. It REALLY winds me up. Luckily our headteacher is fairly flexible and has let us have ‘authorised’ time off for a few blogging trips (one was to science museum and one an ambassador programme that stated a holiday MUST be taken Fri-Mon).

I just hate the whole ‘nanny state’. I am a sensible parent and I know what is best for my children. They can only learn so much about Romans from a text book – are they going to remember words on a page or the time they saw Stonehenge or Roman baths???

I wouldn’t take my children out of school at key times during their learning but I have and will take them out at the end of June/July after their tests ect…..life is too short and travel is important to us.

It also annoys me how school can take kids skiing for a week but parents can’t?????

It’s such an emotive subject and one that raised all of our hackles! I have no idea why the government are under the impression one glove fits all. I agree Sam, the majority of us are sensible and know what’s right got our children. I never thought about the school skiing trips but you’re right. Ridiculous!!

I’m a bit fearful of having to face this dilemma once H starts school next September. While I believe the costs of travelling in school holidays are ridiculous, I also place a very heavy weight on the importance of education. I think while children are in primary school, there should be more flexibility about travel out of school holidays. Once they are in secondary school however, I believe it is a different matter. I didn’t go on many holidays as a youngster, never in term time, and I was also a giant swot. So that’s probably why my perspective is so. Let me come back once I’m in the boat though ha ha xx

I actually never went on many holidays during term time but I think over the years the holiday companies have seriously inflated their prices to make up for the shortfall the rest of the year. I agree, there needs to be more flexibility and common sense! xxx

We’re also lucky not to be in the position to have to worry about this at the moment. My parents would occasionally take me out of school for a day or two before the end of term to allow us time to beat holiday traffic or catch a cheaper ferry. It didn’t have an impact on my educational achievement or career prospects. I don’t think I’ll be concerned about doing the same with my own children, especially as their dad is in the Navy and we may be limited on when we are able to take holidays with him x

We live in Australia and just returned home on Wednesday from an 8 week holiday in europe. Our 9&7 year old accompanied us on this trip. In the state of Australia where we live its at the teachers discretion and our children’s teachers had no hesitation in encouraging us to take our children. All our teachers asked was that we explain the history to them and teach them about the different currency (alomg with reading ). I dont think u can measure in academic terms the value of travel.

I think schools should be able to decide and get rid of the fines – where children have good attendance, haven’t spent weeks off sick, and work hard and are well behaved, then why not let them have a week off. Even if it wasn’t every year. I’m not sure I think 2 weeks each year is necessary, especially in one go – that is a lot to miss. But if parents agree that the children will do some educational stuff rather than sit in english restaurants in a resort where they never leave it or meet the locals outside the resort, then there can be so many benefits.

We’re only starting school this year, and we’ve had to sign a parent, child, school charter which includes children not being taken out of school for holidays. However, that would mean we would never be able to take a family holiday. Summer is harvest on the farm, easter is calving, Christmas is a no, and half terms are sileaging and other things. So term time would be our only option to take a family holiday. Mind you, so far in 4.5 years, the OH’s only come on holiday with us once, so it’s unlikely I’d be taking N abroad on my own, so it’d probably be another 4 years to wait!

Oh I totally agree that a fortnight every year and during key times wouldn’t be good but a few days here and there when in primary school surely shouldn’t be fined. But the farm and your circumstances dictate the holidays are the only times you could go away as a family and that’s not on. Wow four years! Hope you don’t have to wait so long next time!

This Easter I took my two boys on a trip of a lifetime to the Himalayas. It required one day off school. I wrote to both the schools using an identical letter just changing the name. One school approved the request, the other refused. Consistency? The school that refused had two weeks previously taken my son on a five-day residential trip to Paris in which two days were spent on a coach and one day at Euro Disney – more educational than my trip to Nepal? Arrogant!

I’m astounded at the sheer stupidity of this rule. One day off is all you required and one school still refused… oh you must have been fuming particularly with the recent trip to France. I’m glad you took your boys to Nepal though regardless… and I imagine had the most amazing time. But the more I speak to parents, the more this policy has to be scrapped. It’s so infuriating!

This is interesting – the first time my British partner told me about the fine I thought he was joking, that is such a ludicrous idea! I mean definitely parents should just be reasonable. You don’t want to take your kids out of school too much that when they are back in class they can’t follow. But that said I grew up as a TCK and my parents took me out of school for a few weeks a year so we could see our family out of the country. When it because depersonalised that’s when you’re creating a problem rather than truly listening and wanting to make things better for everyone!

They are looking into revising the law… I hope so. It’s ridiculous and should be up to the discretion of parents and the headteacher. A few days now and then are not detrimental… Thanks for taking the time to comment. Really appreciate it 🙂

I hate hate hate those fine business and the whole horrible implications that come with it. Zs started school this year and I really do want to take him out of term time. We’ll save a whole grand by doing it because the holiday companies bump up their prices that steeply. I don’t want him to miss school but I figure a week won’t harm him. I hate that we’ll be made to feel very bad about it though even though he’s 4 years old. I went to India for 3 months on a whole tour when I was 8 and it was just amazing. And I turned out fine 🙂

I think the nanny state is all too powerful. I get that if your child is doing important exams taking them out for 2 weeks won’t be helpful but when they are at junior school? Anyway it should be up to the parent’s judgment. Travel in itself is an importnant lesson and done through experience. That can’t be taught. Wow 3 months in India must have been amazing as a child! I bet you can remember it all